Eurasian Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaocto (Frivaldszky, 1838)

Distribution

Breeds in Ural valley and villages and towns of northern parts of Kustanai and Aktobe oblasts. And also in foothills and mountains from Tashkent to Altai and in Irtysh valley to Pavlodar. Please see the detailed distribution in the section Subspecies.

Biology

Common, in places rare resident. Inhabits villages and towns in which prefers localities with one-storey houses. Breeds by separate pairs often not far one from another. Nest is built from thin twigs on trees or houses’ niches. Clutch of 2 eggs is laid from March. Both parents incubate clutch and feed juveniles. Rears two or probably three brood per year. In autumn gathers near grain elevators, zoos, farms and other food-rich places, sometimes small flocks of Collared Doves fly to nearby stubble fields. Winter is a critical period for this bird who can’t survive feeding only natural foods without human support.

Subspecies

Description. Size is less than stoliczkae, male wing length 164-173 (167.8), female 160-174 (167.6) mm. General colour is slightly darker than stoliczkae, belly is bluish-grey without pinkish tinge. White tip of outer web of outer tail feathers is the same or about length, as of inner web. Distribution. The recent years expanded between Volga and Ural rivers (Urda, 1981, Furmanovo, 1984), in Ural valley from Atyrau (1974) up to Uralsk (1976), and further Darinsk (in 1978), Aksay (in 1986) and Dzhambeity (in 1988), Aktobe (in 1973), Kustanay (from 1987), Irgiz village (in 1986) and in Kurgaldzhino from 1993. In 2004 several birds recorded 12 and 15 May 2004 at western chink of Usturt. The expansion of this race passed also in south of Kazakhstan, from Tashkent to Shymkent and Taraz. One bird was observed 16 April 1982 in lower reaches of Sarysu river on Zlikha station.

Description. Sizes larger than decaocto, male wing length 175-191 (179.5), female 169-188 (178.6) mm. General colour slightly paler than decaocto, pinkish tinge expanded from breast to belly. White tip of outer web of outer tail feathers is much shorter than of inner web. Distribution. Occupies south-eastern Kazakhstan, the recent years expanded in west to Otar, by foothills of Dzhungarskiy Alatau up to Ucharal and Obukhovka, occupied Zaysan depression, and by Irtysh valley expanded to Shemonaikha village, in 1981 appeared in Pavlodar, in 1985 in Ermak, in 1990 at Zhdanovo near Krasnokutsk. On Southern Altai appeared in 1975, and in 1984 expanded to Uryl village, in 1989 to Katon-Karagay. The tendency of this race to expand mainly in northern direction was noticed earlier.